As we inch closer to Dec. 21, the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, it is appropriate that we turn our thoughts to light, especially lights that pull the garden out of the shadows and transform it into a whole new and attractive landscape.

After all, this is the time of year to take to heart the idea that it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.

Over the years, garden lighting has evolved into a sophisticated art form with technicians learning how to elegantly light trees and shrubs, paths and walkways, often using multiple fixtures, to create beautiful, inviting night landscapes that are just as attractive as their daytime counterpart.

Lighting can transform the garden into a whole new landscape at nightsupplied photos /
Vancouver Sun

“Garden lighting is becoming more popular because people are working longer hours and don’t get to enjoy their expensive landscapes as much as they could,” says Paul Balint, of Vista Landscape Lighting, one of the biggest manufacturers of landscape lights in North America.

“By adding some lighting, they can see their garden when they arrive home and enjoy it more and get the most value for their landscape investment,” he says.

Lighting a garden adds a whole new dimension to the landscapesupplied photos /
Vancouver Sun

“What you see at night can be totally different to what you see during the day. You are getting two landscapes for the price of one by having lighting.”

But using lighting to create a beautiful night scene is only one consideration; there is also the issue of security worth considering.

“The problem is that many people use too much light, they use very high intensity bright lights to ramp up security,” says Balint. “This tends to create dramatic white light in one area and harsh, dark shadows and lines elsewhere.

“Burglars have an easy time staying out of the bright light and sticking to the dark shadows around the perimeter.

“What you need is a more subtle, low-glow, ambient lighting that covers the whole property, what I like to call ‘transitional flow’, so everywhere is subtly lit in a seamless way from one area to another.”

Soft, low-lighting can deter burglars just as much as bright lightssupplied photos /
Vancouver Sun

The primary goal of garden lighting, however, is still to highlight trees and shrubs and other key garden features to create a beautiful night landscape that without lighting would be completely lost in darkness.

“Today, landscapers have to show a lot more artistic flair when they are doing this kind of work,” says Balint.

“It is not just a case of laying wiring and installing fixtures, it’s also about creating an attractive picture, an elegant look and atmosphere.

“Many people who want this kind of lighting usually have seen it at a resort or hotel and liked it. That’s the quality they are asking for.”

Lights can improve the look of the garden at nightsupplied photos /
Vancouver Sun

Trees with intricate branch structure or interesting bark texture can be strikingly under-lit with strategically placed uplighting to create a dramatic, almost theatrical atmosphere.

Nowadays, the fashion is to use multiple fixtures to give a tree or bare-branched shrub an impressive three-dimensional look with soft light flooding the ground around a tree and brighter, spreading light directed up into the branches and canopy.

“Gardens can look monumentally different at night with lighting,“ says Jordan Telford, of FX Luminaire, another key supplier.

Uplighting is still popular to light up the canopy of treesHandout /
Vancouver Sun

“You don’t want to see the lights, you want to see the effect of the lights. That’s the key.

“The effect you get with one light is very different to what can be achieved using two or three lights.”

At a recent demonstration arranged at Burnaby Golf Course, Telford lit tall conifers and the bare branches of small deciduous trees using more than 20 lights. The effect was stunning and transformed what was a dark and uninviting corner into a beautiful woodland scene.

Garden features can be highlighted at nightsupplied photos /
Vancouver Sun

“Down-lighting is still popular. We often fix lights high into trees to point down and spread a warm light through the canopy. “There is only so much you can accomplish using lights on the ground.”

LED lighting is the standard type of light used nowadays, with fixtures using 2.5 to 4.5 watts compared to 20-watts in the past.

Light intensity is an important factor. Too much light can make plants look as if they are on the moon, according to Balint.

“The secret is to get the right intensity to create a softer, warmer ambient-light. This usually means using 2,800 to 3,500 kelvins. If you go too high, you end up with a very stark look,” he says.

Timers have also improved a great deal. Standard on-off timers are still common but there are now sophisticated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth systems that can be used to control and monitor specific zones using a mobile phone.

The colour and style of fixtures ranges from basic black die-cast aluminum fixtures that are popular tucked out of sight along paths and driveways to more stylish brass, stainless steel or copper lantern-like fixtures for illuminating patios and shrub and flower borders.

Some fixtures contain moisture-sensors that can detect a build up of moisture and regulate the heat of a light accordingly.

Costs vary according to the range and complexity of the lighting system, but a medium-sized garden with four or five key features can be illuminated for between $2,000 and $5,000 or about $250 to $300 per fixture installed.

The work can be done anytime of the year. Low-voltage wiring does not need to be buried as deeply as high-voltage lines, which means landscapers only have to dig shallow 10 cm (4 inch) trenches.

For more information and to compare different systems, check out the various brands at SiteOne Landscape Supply, 6310 202 St., Langley.

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